PCDC Programs

PCDC has a number of programs designed to enhance the quality of life in Ward 5. These programs are designed based on community input and the growing needs and requests of Ward 5 residents. Programs include:

DESCRIPTION OFPCDC’s Housing Counseling Program

According to the 2006 Revised Comprehensive plan for the District, “A new generation of homeowners has “discovered” Upper Northeast-----driving up prices and increasing housing demand. Between 2004 and 2005 alone, the median purchase price of a home in 20017 and 20018 increased 45 percent.The greatest challenge will be to respond to change in a way that keeps Upper Northeast a socially culturally, economically diverse community.”

PCDC works to build the individual and group capacity for economic, physical and social development of homes, neighborhoods and communities.PCDC believes in a bottom-up approach to community services and believes that by training and educating our clients, the clients will be better equipped to gain control over their own lives and their environment. PCDC stresses that counseling is merely a conduit for improved conditions; and therefore supports, participates and advocates for increased development of affordable housing.

PCDC will assist families to become homeowners, stop foreclosures, teach tenants their rights and responsibilities and assist seniors and other residents in applying for rehabilitation loans to renovate and repair their homes. Overall, PCDC will empower residents to improve budgets and credit, form cooperatives and ultimately purchase multi-family buildings to prevent displacement.

PCDC will also assist residents in making their homes accessible to handicapped and elderly residents and become trained and educated about housing options.

PCDC will work closely with Mortgage companies that have an interest in promoting the home purchasing and foreclosure avoidance efforts of PCDC through our seminars and other community outreach efforts. Through speeches and interviews via the PCDC outreach program, utilizing public access cable television and other media venues that will distribute the videos of our outreach, promotional, and educational programs, PCDC will leverage its contacts in the home financing industry. Other home purchasing and home maintenance businesses will be introduced to the potential home buyer to assist in building a strong framework for home ownership. Residents will also learn how to avoid predatory loans and foreclosure avoidance.Banks will be brought to the table to introduce potential home buyers to savings programs and incentives to build up cash equity prior to home purchases. Seniors will learn about reverse mortgages if they are interested in staying in their homes. Cooperation will be generated with the ANC, community groups, banks, and other resources to promote a positive a positive credit status and vested approach to home ownership and a long term commitment to the community.

PCDC has a unique advantage in this area of housing counseling and stabilization because most of the PCDC Board members are from, and indigenous to this community. Not only does that provide PCDC a wealth of contacts and networks, but it also provides PCDC with an intimate knowledge of the residents and what their needs are. For example, currently there are many retired seniors interested in selling their homes.Unfortunately, many young people returning to the community from college cannot afford to buy in this community. PCDC can act as a go between and match potential mortgage ready buyers with potential sellers. This is based largely on word of mouth and a willingness of community residents to take steps that will stabilize the community.

Furthermore, PCDC will maintain a list of pre-qualified potential homeowners wishing to stay in the community.PCDC will share this list with condo and project developers seeking purchasers who meet specific low/mod income criteria for their housing projects. This network will facilitate home purchase by local residents who wish to stay in Ward 5.

In terms of foreclosure prevention, the estimates for bad loans show that Ward 5 will be hardest hit when many of the ARM loans become due.It is estimated that many of these not be able to afford the balloon payments. PCDC will offer seminars and individual counseling to assist residents who find themselves in this predicament.PCDC will work with lenders to do work outs and referral to other programs offering fixed mortgages.

Consequently, PCDC’s housing counseling program will include not only home purchase counseling but foreclosure prevention services and reverse mortgage counseling as well.

Program will focus on creating more informed and empowered citizens. PCDC will offer bimonthly homebuyer education, financial literacy workshops to prepare low-and middle income families to purchase homes.

Sessions will be delivered in a group/classroom setting designed to reach a minimum of 20 people per session.

2. INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

PCDC will do individual counseling in:

Financial literacy

Credit repair and debt management

Credit Counseling

Rental Counseling

Pre and Post Homeownership Counseling

Foreclosure Prevention

Reverse Mortgages

3. REFERRAL

PCDC will package applicants for:

HPAP

Housing Renovation

Reverse Mortgages

The key to PCDC’s success will be based on PCDC’s massive outreach campaign. The objective will be to saturate Ward 5 residents with information regarding all of the services PCDC is offering in the area of housing counseling. Particular focus will be on low-income renters, single parents and section 8 recipients who may be interested on purchasing there own home.

EVALUATION

PCDC will use the following quantitative means to measure

1.Number of intakes for:

A. Counseling

B. Requests for information

C. Telephone inquiries

D. Visitors

E. Referrals

2.Number of classes per year

3Number of class participants

4.Number of people provided credit counseling/assistance

5.Number of consumers successfully obtaining financing.

6.Number of consumers who become homebuyers

7.Number of residents obtaining reverse mortgages

The funneling system will be banks, mortgage companies, realtors and real estate brokers, ANC, community based organizations, civic associations, faith-based organizations and schools.

CURRICULUM

PCDC plans to use “The Smart Money” Curriculum by FDIC.

PCDC PROPOSEDORGANIZATIONAL CHART

PCDC Board of Directors

PCDC Executive Director

Administrative Assistant

Marketing Consultant

Housing Counselor

Outreach Coordinator

Fund Raising Consultant

Assistant Housing Counselor

Board Consultant

Evaluation Consultant

Board Training

PCDC holds an annual board training seminar to train organizations on how to effectively build a sustainable board. The training covers topics relating to the IRS, legal rights, accounting, and fundraising.

Wealth Building

The wealth building program consists of a series of financial training seminars. Participants will learn how to improve their credit, eliminate the risk of foreclosures, how to save for their retirement, and how to effectively manage loans from the seminars. In previous years, the wealth building program was sponsored by SunTrust Bank.

Golf Clinic

The Golf Clinic is a program designed entirely for women to increase their awareness of the sport. The golf clinic lays the foundation for learning golf and how to use the sport for networking purposes. Lessons are normally held at the Soldier's Home for a fee of $75. If interested in this program please email premiercdc@yahoo.com for a schedule of classes.

Business Etiquette and Protocol Training

This program is geared for adults and children through different sessions. Various business protocols will be discussed through different sessions. Sessions will cover: dining, networking, asking for promotions, dressing, entertainment, and body language. There is a small fee for some of the sessions due to the cost of materials provided. Please email premiercdc@yahoo.com for more information.

Photography, Animation, and Graphic Arts Program

This program allows Ward 5 residents to showcase their talents around the world. The goal of this program is not just to highlight the wealth of talent in the ward but to increase the artistic beauty seen in the ward. This unique program targets Ward 5 artists who have expertise in photography, animation, and.or graphic arts. Artists are encouraged to sell their work through Ward 5 showcases and through PCDC's website.

Ward 5 Beautification

Clean neighborhoods reflect communities that care about their surroundings and thier fellow neighbors. The Ward 5 Beautification program aims to enhance the look of Ward 5 communities. The goal of this program is to equip residents with the knowledge to plant flowers, pick up litter, report graffiti, and fix the exterior of their homes. This program strongly encourages donations to help with the costs of plants and tools.

Training Nonprofits and Grassroots Advocacy Organizations

With an increase trend on technology, PCDC feels it is important to get our community organizations up to speed. With that in mind PCDC trains local nonprofits and community organizations in website development, online community strategies, e-mails, and computer training. PCDC works closely to address the organizations' concerns and implement workable solutions to further their missions.

Media Training

This program consist of a series of training focused on media relations. With the growing number of issues plaguing the community it is essential that residents effectively voice their concerns. The media plays a huge role in delivering messages. Through the media training program workshops will be conducted to teach residents how to target the media, how to write press releases, how to talk in sound bites, and how to stick to the message at hand. The media training will be a hands-on workshop that engages the participant on various levels.

Issue Management/Advocacy

PCDC's issue management and advocacy program keeps residents on top of the issues through various lines of communication (e-mails, letters, and forums) The program also helps Ward 5 residents learn various ways in which they can advocate for issues of concern. Previous components of this program have included forums on education and adult-themed entertainment in Ward 5. PCDC does not take any sides supporting issues because we are non-partial but we do help train Ward 5 residents to advocate for issues that impact their daily lives.

If interested in any of the programs or have program suggestions please contact premiercdc@yahoo.com with Programs in the subject line.

To make a contribution to further the success of these programs please see Help Us Help You. All contributions are tax-deductible.